Printing press having curved impression surface



Feb. 14, 1950 c. F. ROOT 2,

PRINTING PRESS HAVING CURVED IMPRESSION SURFACE Filed April 23, 1947 4Shets-Sheet 1 Feb. 14, 1950 c. F. ROOT PRINTING PRESS HAVING CURVEDIMPRESSION SURFACE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 23, 1947 Feb. 14, 195@c. F. ROOT PRINTING PRESS HAVING CURVED IMPRESSION SURFACE 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 25, 1947 27067? 0/: 672015251 Roof 900% 4Sheets-Sheet 4 C. F. ROOT l J I 5 i V PRINTING PRESS HAVING CURVEDIMPRESSION SURFACE Feb. 14 1950 Filed April 23, 1947 Patented Feb. 14,1950 PRINTING PRESS HAVING CURVED IMPRESSION SURFACE Charles F. Root,Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Chandler & Price Company, Cleveland, Ohio,a

corporation of Ohio Application April 23, 1947, Serial No. 743,427

Claims. 1

This invention relates in general to platen printing presses, and isparticularly directed to a press of this character wherein the platenhas a curved convex surface.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide aplaten printing press wherein the platen has a curved convex surfacethereon and the type bed which carries the type form is fioatinglymounted on its frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a platen printing presshaving a stationary frame and an oscillating frame, a curved platenmounted on one of the frames and a type bed carrying a type formfloatingly mounted on the other frame so that proper registry or pinpoint contact will be obtained between the type form and the curvedsurface of the platen during the printing operation.

A further object is to provide a printing press having a stationaryframe and an oscillating frame with a curved platen on the stationaryframe and a type bed floatingly mounted on the oscillating frame,wherein the floating mountings of the type bed are so positionedrelative to each other and to the pivotal point of the oscillatin frameas to produce proper registry or pin point contact between the type formand curved surface of the platen during the printing operation.

Still another object is to provide a platen printing press of the curvedplaten type having a fioatingly mounted type bed thereon wherein a novelform of mechanism is adapted to be actuated to move the type bed toinitial printing pos tion and to thereafter uniformly resist movement ofthe type bed to its final printing position against the pressure exertedthereagainst by the curved platen during the printing operaion.

A still further and more specific obiect of the invention is to providea platen printin press of the curved platen type wherein the type bed isfloat ngly mounted thereon and novel mechanism is provided on both ofthe frames which are adapted to cooperate with each other duringmovement of the oscillating frame toward the stationary frame to movethe type bed to its initial printing position. These cooperating meansare then utilized to uniformly resist movement of the type bed to itsfinal printing position due to pressure exerted thereagainst by thecurved platen during the printing operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent byreading the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a platen printing press embodyingthe present invention with certain parts broken away and shown insection, the press being illustrated in its open position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational View of the pressshown in Fig. 1 with parts thereof broken away and shown in section,wherein the type bed is shown in its initial printing position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the type bed in its finalprinting position;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the type bed and type form carriedthereby with parts broken away and shown in section and takensubstantially along the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the oscillating frame and type bed takensubstantially along the plane of line 55 of Fig. l.

Platen printing-presses, in general, are provided with two framemembers, one of which'is stationary and the other of which oscillatestoward and away therefrom to perform the printing operation. Where thetype bed is mounted on a stationary frame and the platen is mounted onthe oscillating frame, the press has been commonl known as the Goldingtype. The other well known Gordontype of platen press has the type bedmounted on the oscillating frame and the platen mounted on thestationary frame.

There have been many attempts in the past to design a practical jobpress both of the Golding and Gordon types wherein the platen has acurved printing surface, and the advantages of such a curved platenpress have long been recogniaed, as clearly set forth. for example' inthe Clark Patent No. 1.034.083. For example, the press can be made of lihter material and thus more economically. due to the fact that lesspressure is reouired between the platen and type form during theprinting operation because of the progressive line. or pin pointcontact. therebetween. Another advantage is that the printed will bestripped from. the type form as it prints thus eliminating the strippingdifficulties present in a flat platen press.

The present invention, while broadly applicable to any type of jobprinting press. is disclosed and described herein for purposes ofillustration as having particular application to a Gordon press whereinthe type bed is mounted on the oscillat ing frame. In my copendingapplication, Serial.

cillating frame and there was provided a predetermined relationshipbetween the pivotal point of the type bed and the pivotal point of theoscillating frame so that proper registry or pin point contact would beobtained between the type form and curved surface of the platen duringthe printing operation.

An early attempt was also made to provide a Gordon press with a curvedplaten as evidenced by the patent to Waters, No. 1,360,063, but there,the type bed remained rigidly connected to the oscillating frame and pinpoint contact or proper registry between the type form and curved platenwas allegedly obtained by rolling the platen against the form during theprinting operation and controlling this action by the use of pins on theplaten received by holes on the edge of the bed. As distinguished fromthe prior art and my above referred to copending application, thepresent form of invention provides a floating mounting for the type bedwhich permits movement thereof in a predetermined manner to obtainproper registry.

The term pin point contact as used herein is synonymous with properregistry and may be illustrated briefly by describing the action ormovement between a plane and curved surface when one is rolled againstthe other in such a way that no slippage occurs between the twosurfaces. If one of the surfaces remains stationary and the other isrolled thereagainst, regardless of which surface is caused to move, whenthere is no slippage, pin point contact will result. The one surfacemust climb upwardly or downwardly on the other surface to result in pinpoint contact or proper registry.

When this principle is applied to a platen printing press where thesurface of the platen is curved, the moving surface will have to rolland climb against the other or stationary surface and the embodiment ofthe invention illustrated herein is designed to attain this result bynovel mounting and control mechanism on the type bed. In the presentinstance, when the oscillating and stationary frames are separated, thecurved platen is moved to a substantially horizontal position for thepurpose of receiving a sheet to be printed. During this time, the typeform is being inked. The oscillating frame will then move to carry thetype form toward the platen, at which time the platen returns to itsprinting position and is securely locked in such position while the typeform carried by the type bed rolls thereagainst during the printingoperation.

Referring now more particularly to the draw. ings, the press in generalis provided with a stationary frame having spaced side members I and 2and an oscillating frame having the spaced side members 3 and 4. Thisoscillating frame is pivotally mounted on the stationary frame by meansof the pivot pins 5 at each side thereof.

The platen is generally indicated by the numeral 6, is mounted on thestationary frame for a rocking or oscillating motion on the rock shaft 1and is provided with a curved convex surface 8. The operation of aGordon press is very well known to those skilled in the art and thedetails of such well known structure need not be specifically describedor illustrated herein. It is sufiicient to state that the large gear 9on one side of the machine, which is mounted on and secured to the shaftI0, is provided with a cam track (not shown) which is engaged by aroller on the end of a rocker arm (also not shown) on the rock shaft 1.The cam track is so arranged that rotation of the gear 9 will cause anoscillating movement of the rock shaft I and platen 6 carried thereby inorder to move it to sheet receiving position as shown in Fig. 1 and toprinting position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The rock shaft i has a forwardly extending rocker extension H secured toor integral therewith which terminates in an end portion 12. In theprinting position of the platen, the rocker extension i i will be in aposition as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and is locked in this positionagainst movement by means of the rocker lock l3. This rocker lock i3 isin the form of a gate extending between the sides of the stationaryframe and is pivotally mounted thereon at l5 and has a flat uppersurface it which is moved beneath the end E2 of the rocker extension H.Suitable and well known means are provided for properly actuating therocker lock l3 in timed relation with the oscillating movement of theplaten so that it will lock the platen against movement during theprinting operation and will be moved outwardly to permit the platen tobe moved to sheet receiving position. A cross member It at the front ofthe press and extending between the sides of the stationary framecooperates with the rocker lock is to prevent movement of the rockerextension I l in either direction while printing is taking place.

The type bed as illustrated herein is indicated by the numeral ll and isadapted to carry a type form is within the confines of a chase l9.'Movcment of the oscillating frame to carry the type bed toward theplaten is accomplished by means of a link it located one on each side ofthe press, one end of each link being pivctally secured to theoscillating frame by means of the pins 2! and the forward end of onelink being pivotally mounted at 22 to the gear 8. The opposite side ofthe machine, not illustrated herein, may be provid'ed with a similargear or may have what is known as a small head mounted on the oppositeend of the shaft Iii to which the forward end of the other link 2E3 ispivotally mounted. It will thus be evident that rotation of the gear 5and shaft in will produce a longitudinal reciprocation of the links itwhich will thus transmit an oscillating movement to the frame carryingthe type bed.

The press may be driven by any suitable power means (not shown) whichdrives a pulley 23 on one side of the machine mounted on the shaft 24. Apinion 25 may also be secured to the shaft 24 to mesh with the gear 9 tothereby drive the gear and impart the necessary motion to the variousparts of the press.

The type bed I! is floatingly mounted on the frame which carries it bynovel means which include upwardly extending ears 26 at each side of thetype bed, each of which cars has a substantially vertically extendingelongated slot 2'! therein. The upper outer sides 28 of the oscillatingframe carry inwardly extending pins or rollers 29 which are receivedwithin. the slots 21 (see also Fig. 4.).

The lower end of the type bed ll is provided with a rearwardly extendingear 39 on each side thereof, each of which has an elongated arcuate slot3! therein. Each slot 3i is adapted to receive a pin or roller 32mounted on the stationary side embers 33 of the oscillating frame. Theupper and lower pin and slot connections 21, 29, 3| and 32, provide afloating mounting for the type bed H and are arranged in a predeterminedmanner with respect to each other and with respect to the pivotal point5 of the oscillating frame, so that proper registry will occur betweenthe type form and curved platen during the printing operation.

These floating mountings may have a different relationship from thatshown if the pivotal point 5 of the oscillating frame is changed ormoved to a different location. The slots 3| and pins 32 permit the typebed H to move between initial and final printing positions and the upperslots 27 and pins 29 permit a slight upward movement of the type bed sothat it may climb along the curved surface 8 of the platen 5. The amountof movement, the direction thereof, and the amount of climb may varydepending upon the relative positions between the type bed and curvedplaten. This relative position will be determined by the location of thepivotal point 5. Thus it will be clear that if the pivotal point 5 ismoved to a different location on the stationary frame, changes wouldhave to be made in the location and general direction of the slots 21and 3|. These positions, however, can be easily determined and workedout for any particular location of the pivotal point 5.

Each of the ears 33 is provided at its rear side or edge with a camsurface 34 which cooperates with certain actuating mechanism presentlyto be described to control the movement of the type bed I! to initialand final printing positions.

The type bed I! is normally maintained in its retracted or finalprinting position by means of coiled tension springs 35 which aresecured at their forward ends to pins 36 extending upwardly fromhorizontal ribs 31 across the back. of the type bed, and at their rearends to similar pins 38 extending downwardly from a rib or cross member39 on the oscillating frame. In this position of the type bed, the pins32 will be located at the forward ends of the slots 3|. In moving thetype bed to its initial printing position, the pins 32 will traverse theslots 3| 'so that they will then be located at the rear of such slots asshown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 shows the open position of the press where the platen is in sheetreceiving position and the type form If! is being inked by suitableinking rollers (not shown). The inking rollers will be moved upwardly tothe usual inking foungain (also not shown) during the printing operaion.

Novel cooperating means in the form of pivotally mounted arms and leversare secured to both the stationary and oscillating frames. These meanswill act together in proper timed relation to move the type bed to itsinitial printing position, and to resist and control the movementthereof to its final printing position, to which it is moved by pressureof the curved surface of the platen thereagainst.

The arms on the oscillating frame are indicated by the numeral 40. Oneof these arms is located at each side of the frame and on the inner sidethereof. The cooperative lever arms 4| are mounted on the stationaryframe in such a way that they may cooperate with and actuate the arms 40during operation of the press.

The arms 46 are pivotally secured at one end thereof by means of pivotpins 42 at each side of the oscillating frame and each carries a roller43 at its forward end. An intermediate roller 44 is positioned on eacharm 40 between the ends thereof and is adapted to bear against andcooperate with the cam surface 34 at the rear of each ear 30. A suitablylocated pin 45 limits the downward movement of the arm 40 during theperiod of time that the two frames are separated and while the type formis being inked.

Each lever 4| is pivotally mounted between its ends on the stationaryframe by means of pivot pins 46 and a rocking movement of each lever iscaused to occur at the proper time by means of rotating cams 4'! keyedto the shaft Hi. The rear end of each lever 4| has a slightly arouatecam surface 48 thereon adapted to cooperate with the rollers 43 on theforward ends of the arms 40, and rollers 49 at the forward ends of eachlever 4| remain in contact with the cams 41 for actuation of the levers.Coiled tension springs 50 secured at one end to the stationary frame andat their other ends to pins 5| on the levers 4| normally maintain andurge the rollers 49 in contact with the cams 41.

The mechanism above described will act to move the type bed I! to itsinitial printing position as the oscillating frame moves toward theplaten after the platen has been rocked to its printing position andlocked therein. This position of the various parts is illustrated inFig. 2 where it will be seen that as the oscillating frame movesforwardly, the rollers 43 on the arms 40 will contact the cam surfaces48 on the rear of levers 4|. At the proper time the enlargement on thecams 41 will cause a rotation or rocking movement of the levers 4| in aclockwise direction, thus moving the rear ends 48 thereof upwardly,carrying the rollers 43 and the arms 40 therewith. Upward movement ofthe arms 40 will cause a forward and outward movement of the type bed ITby reason of the rollers 44 bearing against the cam surfaces 34 on theears 30. The position of the type bed and the arms 40 and levers 4| atthe beginning of the printing operation will then be as shown in Fig. 2,where the type bed I! has been moved forwardly and the pins 32 will belocated at the rear ends of the slots 3|.

It will be noted that in this position of the various parts, theoscillating frame has not completed its forward movement. That is, thepivotal points 22 at the forward ends of the links 20 are still abovedead center, and the printing operation will not be completed until thedead center is reached, as shown in Fig. 3. During the movement-of thepivotal point 22 from its position as shown in Fig. 2 to its dead centerposition shown in Fig. 3, the printing operation will take place. Duringthis time, the enlargement on cams 41 will permit the levers 4| to rockin a counter-clockwise direction, thus also permitting a downwardmovement of the arms 40, Pressure of the platen 6 against the type forml8 at the beginning of the printing operation will tend to urge the typebed ll rearwardly, but such movement will be resisted by the rollers 44on the arms 40 against the cam surfaces 34 on the ears 30. The movementof the arms 40 downwardly, which will permit rearward movement of thetype bed, is controlled by the rollers 43 against the cam surfaces 48 ofthe levers 4|, which are, in turn, controlled by the cams 41. It will beclear that if the type bed I! were freely movable. there would not besufiicient pressure built up between the type form and platen to causeprinting to take place. Therefore, this resistance set up by thecooperating arms and levers 43 and 4| will create a sufficient pressurefor printing.

On the other hand, the type bed must be allowed to move and to roll overthe curved surface 8 of the platen in such a way as to prevent anyslippage therebetween and obtain proper reg istry or pin point contact.The direction and amount of movement of the type bed i1 is controlled bythe floating mountings consisting of the pin and slot connections 21,29, 3| and 32. The relationship between these mountings and the pivotalpoint 5 of the oscillating frame has been explained above as being suchthat proper registry will result. It will be noted in Figs. 2 and 3 thatas the type bed I! moves rearwardly to its final printing position, thepins or rollers 32 will be caused to traverse the slots .3! and bepositioned at the forward ends thereof. The amount of climb necessaryfor proper registry is permitted by the slots 21 which results in a relative movement between these slots and the pins 29. It will be noted inFig. 3 that the pins 29 are positioned slightly below the upper ends ofthe slots 27.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that novel mechanismin the form of cooperating parts on the oscillating and stationaryframes as well as the floating mounting of the type bed have beenprovided for producing pin point contact, or proper registry, in acurved platen press. The novel arrangement of the pin and slotconnections, forming the floating mounting of the type bed, togetherwith holding the curved platen rigid during the printing operationassures proper registry and a clear impression. Furthermore, theembodiment of the invention in a conventional Gordon type press requiresa minimum of alterations in the press, thereby providing for economicalmanufacture. It will be clear that certain changes may be made in theform, construction and arrangement of parts from those disclosed hereinwithout departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any ofthe attendant advantages hereof, provided, however, that such changesfall within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A platen printing press comprising a stationary frame, an oscillatingframe pivotally mounted on said stationary frame, means for moving saidoscillating frame toward and away from said stationary frame for aprinting operation, a platen carrier oscillatably mounted on saidstationary frame, a curved platen on said carrier. means for oscillatingsaid carrier and platen to sheet receiving and to printing positions,means for holding said carrier and platen against movement during theprinting operation, a type bed on said oscillating frame adapted to havea type form mounted thereon, upper and lower guideways on said type bed,upper and lower guide members on said oscillating frame cooperating withsaid guideways for guidingly and floatingly mounting said type bed onits frame for rocking movement Within a limited range during printing,whereby line contact is obtained between the type form and platen duringprinting, means urging the lower end of said type bed away from itsframe while said stationary frame and oscillating frame are innonprinting position, means to provide a substantially constant pressurebetween the type form and curved platen from the point of initialcontact to the point of final contact therebetween during the printingoperation, and means to retain said type bed in the final printingposition for a predetermined period of time during movement of theoscillating frame away from said stationary frame to prevent doubleimpression.

2. A platen printing press comprising a stationary frame, an oscillatingframe pivotally mounted on said stationary frame, means for moving saidoscillating frame toward and away from said stationary frame for aprinting operation, a platen carrier oscillatably mounted on saidstationary frame, a curved platen on said carrier, means for oscillatingsaid carrier and platen to sheet receiving and to printing positions,means for holding said carrier and platen against movement during theprinting operation, a type bed on said oscillating frame adapted to havea type form mounted thereon, upper slotted members on said type bed,lower guiding surfaces on said type bed, upper and lower guide memberson said oscillating frame cooperating with said upper slots and saidlower guiding surfaces for guidingly and fioatingly mounting said typebed on its frame for rocking movement within a limited range duringprinting, whereby line contact is obtained between the type form andplaten during printing, means urging the lower end of said type bed awayfrom its frame while said stationary frame and oscillating frame are innon-printing position, means to provide a substantially constantpressure between the type form and curved platen from the point ofinitial contact to the point of final contact therebetween during theprinting operation, and means to retain said type bed in the finalprinting position for a predetermined period of time during movement ofthe oscillating frame away from said stationary frame to prevent doubleimpression.

3. A platen printing press comprising a stationary frame, an oscillatingframe pivotally mounted on said stationary frame, means for moving saidoscillating frame toward and away from said stationary frame for aprinting operation, a platen carrier oscillatably mounted on saidstationary frame, a curved platen on said carrier, means for oscillatingsaid carrier and platen to sheet receiving and to printing positions,means for holding said carrier and platen against movement during theprinting operation,

a type bed on said oscillating frame adapted to have a type form mountedthereon, cooperating means on said type bed and its frame for fioatinglymounting said type bed on its frame for rocking movement within alimited range during printing, whereby line contact is obtained betweenthe type form and platen during printing, means including cam meanspositioned rearwardly of said type bed urging the lower end of said typebed away from its frame while saidstationary frame and oscillating frameare in non-printing position, means to provide a substantially constantpressure between the type form and curved platen from the point ofinitial contact to the point of final contact therebetween during theprinting operation, and means to retain said type bed in the finalprinting position for a predetermined period of time during movement ofthe oscillating frame away from said. stationary frame to prevent doubleimpression.

i. A platen printing press comprising a stationary frame, an oscillatingframe pivotally mounted on said stationary frame, means for moving saidoscillating frame toward and away from said stationary frame for aprinting operation, a platen carrier oscillatably mounted on saidstationary frame, a curved platen on said carrier, means for oscillatingsaid carrier and platen to sheet receiving and to printing positions,means for holding said carrier and platen against movement during theprinting operation, a type bed on said oscillating frame adapted to havea type form mounted thereon, cooperating means on said type bed and itsframe for floatingly mounting said type bed on its frame for rockingmovement within a limited range during printing, whereby line contact isobtained between the type form and platen during printing, meansincluding cam means positioned rearwardly of said type bed and other cammeans on said stationary frame cooperating for urging the lower end ofsaid type bed away from its frame while said stationary frame andoscillating frame are in non-printing position, means to provide asubstantially constant pressure between the type form and curved platenfrom the point of initial contact to the point of final contacttherebetween during the printing operation, and means to retain saidtype bed in the final printing position for a predetermined period oftime during movement of the oscillating frame away from said stationaryframe to prevent double impression.

5. A platen printing press comprising a stationary frame, a second framemovably mounted on said stationary frame, means for moving said secondframe toward and away from said stationary frame for a printingoperation, a platen carrier oscillatably mounted on said stationaryframe, a curved platen on said carrier, means for oscillating saidcarrier and platen to sheet receiving and to printing positions, meansfor holding said carrier and platen against move- 10 ment during theprinting operation, a type bed on said second frame adapted to have atype form mounted thereon, cooperating means on said type bed and itsframe for floatingly mounting said type bed on its frame for rockingmovement within a limited range during printing, whereby line contact isobtained between the type form and platen during printing, meansincluding cam means positioned rearwardly of said type bed urging thelower end of said type bed away from its frame while said stationaryframe and second frame are in non-printing position, means to provide asubstantially constant pressure between the type form and curved platenfrom the point of initial contact to the point of final contacttherebetween during the printing operation, and means to retain saidtype bed in the final printing position for a predetermined period oftime during movement of the second frame away from said stationary frameto prevent double impression.

CHARLES E. ROOT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 796,707 Clark Aug. 8, 1905857,721 Clark June 25, 1907 1,034,083 Clark July 30, 1912 1,289,273 RoutDec. 31, 1918 1,360,063 Waters Nov. 23, 1920 1,474,142 Caplinger Nov.13, 1923 2,015,994 Eaton Oct. 1, 1935

